Partners
by Darkest Dawn
Summary: My job may not be as conventional as most. The fact that they control my life is pretty easy to forget, until they partner me up with that bastard Inuyasha and better yet, expect me to procreate with the moron. Like I'd do that to the unsuspecting world.
1. Time for a Change

um...if anyone here reads Forbidden I'm so so so so so so so so so soooooo sorry... I'm working on the update seriously!! For now, I'm back to Inuyasha on a new idea that I dunno if I'll finish, but I needed to write this. So here it is:**  
**

**Partners **

**By**

**Leah**

**  
Chapter 1**

**Time for a Change**

"Please, please! You-You don't want to do this!" The man sobbed out from his crouched position in the corner of the expensive office. His hands were clasped tightly as he looked into the brown eyes of his assailant.

"Oh no Mr. Tsumi," Cherry red lips curled upwards in a wicked smile. "I assure you, I do."

More tears rolled down the man's face and a child like whimper escaped his throat. The cool steel tip of the Sais blade pressed against his lips, silencing the sob that was about to escape.

The woman bent down, her brown eyes level with his, her lips holding onto its wicked grin. "Now, now," she began in a mockingly mothering tone, "big boys don't cry."

A loud wail filled the room as the second blade pierced Tsumi's chest. The assassin waited for the light to flicker out of the man's eyes before removing the dagger and strapping both blades to her hips and exited the room.

The assassin let out a deep breath and made her way out of the room, stuffing some folded papers into the pocket of her leather trench coat. She pressed the down button on the elevator when a crackle of static in her ear disrupted the silence of the hallway.

"Are you done yet?" A female voice came through the piece in her ear.

"Yeah," The elevator dinged and the door opened, the assassin stepped in. "I got all the info I needed, he was very easily "persuaded" to give it up." She pressed the red 1 button and the doors of the elevator closed. "How are things on your end?"

She heard a sigh over the earpiece. "I'm mostly done here, nothing to interesting in the security videos. I'll be done in ten; I'll meet you guys at the car."

"Gotcha." The elevator dinged again and the doors opened into the deserted lobby of the upscale apartment building.

She pulled her coat closer to cover up her very revealing red halter and tight leather pants and headed out the glass front door. Her eyes scanned up and down the street before settling on the black BMW that was parked two cars away. Grinning, she spotted a girl leaning on the car wearing a tight black corset and a very mini skirt.

The assassin walked to the car and leaned on it next to the girl. "So, how much for an hour with you, baby?"

"Oh, ha, ha Kagome." The younger girl grumbled dryly and attempted to pull down her skirt.

"Sorry Rin, couldn't resist," Kagome sent the girl a smirk and shoved her hand in her pocket to fish out the car keys. "How long were you waiting?"

Rin grimaced, "Long enough to want to establish that whoever has to be the hooker gets the car keys. I got hit on by three guys." The girl grouched, Rin looked to be about a year younger than Kagome, but her face had always held the look of childhood innocence. Her wide eyes and normally pigtailed hair made her look as if she was stuck at age twelve. Although anyone who knew her knew how wrong that was. However tonight, her mid-back length brown hair was out and curled and her make-up was caked on, making her look much older than she normally did.

Kagome chuckled, "How did that go?" The car let out a beep and the lights flashed as the doors unlocked and the engine started.

"Not too well, and of course I didn't hit them or anything," Rin began, opening the back door. "Don't wanna hear ba-baa going on about hurting civilians."

"Fist of all," Kagome began as she walked around and got into the drivers seat. "Her name is Kaede-sama, have some respect." Rin rolled her eyes and lay down across the backseat. Kagome ignored her and turned on the radio, "Second, what do you expect? You were the prostitute for the night, we've all been there. And lastly," She cast a harsh glare over her shoulder at the younger girl lounging on the leather seats. "Get those dirty heals off my car seat."

Rin grunted but dropped her feet to the floor of the car. "You're almost as bad as Sango." The girl muttered as she stretched as best she could in the limited space.

"No I'm not; Sango would have ripped your legs off by now if this was her car." Kagome stuck out her tongue at the girl and turned back to the radio. "How was your kill?"

Rin shrugged, "Well, the asshole was a little too touchy for my tastes, had to tie him up to get him to cooperate." Kagome quirked an eyebrow. "What? I was playing a hooker, getting him to agree to being tied up was easier done than I thought it would be. But most of his stuff was on his laptop so I sent it all to Intel. Don't worry I totally fried the computer afterwards." The younger girl let out a small sigh. "Out of what I saw though, none of it looked like anything new."

"That's to be ex-" A sharp knock from the passenger side window cut Kagome off mid-sentence. Both girls' attention jerked to the window where a grinning face framed by straight brown hair greeted them.

Rin pushed herself up, stretched to the front seat and rolled down the window. "Sorry ma'am, I think you have the wrong car."

"Rin, if you don't open this door right now…" The girl sent a glare at her friend who rolled her eyes and unlocked the door.

"You're no fun Sango." Rin pouted and went back to laying in the backseat.

Kagome looked over the girl next to her and started the engine before pulling the car out of its parking spot. "So unfair that you get to dress normally." She said, speaking of her friend's plain blue jeans, pink tank top and black biker jacket with a black book bag hanging on one shoulder.

Sango shrugged, "Well my job for the night required me to be as surreptitious as possible."

"Should have been my job." Rin mumbled from the backseat.

Sango looked back at the girl and sent her a gentle smile. "Sorry, but you're still considered a green horn here Rin, you may be well versed in a lot of things, but you know hand to hand is not your specialty." Rin pouted but had to agree.

It was true that Rin was the best in the field with anything involving electronics; the girl could probably hack into the most secure information before anyone in Intel. But she much rather work as an assassin than a hacker, although her skills with the computer had come in handy more than once. So had her skills with the gun, explosives and damn near all projectiles.

But Sango was right, she was good at hand to hand, but to take on the few dozen guards that had been in the hotel for the past few days. Rin surely would have been caught. Everyone knew that was where Sango would be best. She was by far the best hand to hand combat assassin out there; after all she was bred to be a demon slayer. She alone was the only one who could wield the giant bone boomerang that hung in the weapons room at their home, and her skills with the blade were exemplary, with Kagome coming in a close second.

"I just want to know why both men decided to increase their personal security. Was there a leak or something, I was sure we were being discrete." Kagome muttered.

"The security wasn't for us," The eldest girl began, Kagome pulled off the main road drove towards a large clump of trees, surely about to crash, however the cars passed through them as if they weren't real. The car headed underground into a brightly lit tunnel.

"Who then?" Rin asked, sitting up to lean between the driver and passenger seats, her hand going to the radio only to be slapped away by Kagome.

"My car, my music." The car jerked to a stop in front of a stone wall, Kagome placed her hand on the touch pad in the wall, which slid away instantly.

"I don't know who it was exactly." Sango began again, her voice low. "But they both asked for cameras in their rooms, to ensure their safety. I found some tapes-"

"Oh, what kind of tapes?" Rin called from the backseat in an insinuating voice, she received a threatening look from Sango and that was all the warning she needed.

"You're very childish for your age Rin, do you know that?" Rin shrugged.

"I like holding on to my youth you know."

"You should try and loosen your grip. But anyway, in both _security_ tapes, there was a man talking to them both on multiple occasions."

"So?" Kagome interjected, "That doesn't mean much, they were both business men, he could have been a buyer or whatever."

Sango shook her head. "No, he was threatening them. You can't hear it all on the tapes, but he definitely said enough to scare both of them shitless. And I'm positive I've seen him somewhere before."

"Excellent," Rin chimed in. "Something new for the first time. You did take the tapes right?"

Sango grinned and pulled out for videos from her bag. "Of course."

"Well ladies," Kagome began as they once reached another stone wall and she placed her hand on the wall and muttered something for voice recognition. "We are home." The wall slid by once more revealing a brightly lit expansive underground garage that held 50 or more cars, motorcycles and jeeps.

"Finally! I need a shower, I still smell like that mans sweat." Rin squealed and practically jumped out of the car when Kagome pulled it into its spot between a Ferrari and a Corvette. The girls made their way to the elevator where Kagome pegged the key onto the wall that held the keys for all the vehicles.

The elevator opened as soon as Sango pressed the button, which was no surprise. They were the only ones with access to this elevator and it only went to two floors of the seemingly 23 story posh hotel. Their private basement and the 24th floor that was meant only for them, that was concealed by immeasurable amounts of old magic.

In seconds the elevator came to a stop and the doors slip open to reveal a large pent house living that was only lit by the lights coming from the full length windows on one side of the room. It was outfitted with white furniture and plush dark blue carpeting and a widescreen plasma television took up the front wall. Rin bolted out of the elevator once the doors opened.

"Hey! Wash my blades!" Kagome cried holding up the two blades that still held traces of blood on them.

"Oh sorry, can't hear you!" Rin called behind her with a smile before shutting her bedroom door behind her.

Kagome scowled and was about to stomp out of the elevator but instead stomped right into Sango's arm, which was currently blocking her from exiting the elevator. "Nah uh, you are not walking all over that newly cleaned carpet with those dirty shoes." She jerked her head to the carpet. Kagome groaned before kicking her shoes off.

"Happy mother?" She muttered only to receive a bright smile from her friend.

"Very much. Now call Kaede, I'm gonna make dinner." Sango said before exiting the elevator, hitting the light switch on her way to the open kitchen in the corner of the enormous living room.

"You didn't take off your shoes!" Kagome called as she walked around the glass table fit for four set a few feet from the kitchen.

"That's because I'm older!" Sango yelled back. "How does linguini and chicken parmesan sound?"

"Amazing." The other girl replied and entered her room. She shrugged off her coat and dropped it onto the green comforter on her bed. She snatched the phone out of its cradle on her table and hit the first speed dial number.

She grabbed a brush off her vanity and raked it through her hair as she waited for someone to answer the phone.

"Bureau of Demon Human Cooperation and Law Enforcement, Kaede's office. How may I help you?"

"Hey Shiori, it's Kagome, can you put me through to Kaede?"

"Sure thing Kagome, hold on a sec." Kagome groaned to herself when the annoying hold music came on and took the time to pull her hair up into a ponytail and pull her Sais blades from their place on her thigh.

She grabbed the blades and walked out of her room and into Rin's, she crept into the girl's bathroom as stealthily as possible.

"Kagome!" Rin's wet head poked out from behind the shower curtain. "What are you-" Kagome dropped the blades on the ground in front of the shower and stuck out her tongue at the younger girl before running out the room

"Kagome you suck!"

"Love you too Rin!" Kagome called back to the girl.

"Ahem," An old voice on the other end of the line cleared her throat. "Are you and Rin quite done Kagome?" A beet red blush spread across the girl's face and she bowed her head in embarrassment. Despite the fact that she knew Kaede could not see her, the old woman was just such a grandmotherly figure that any form of scolding made Kagome - and she was sure all of her coworkers- feel very small.

"Gomen nasai, Kaede-sama." Kagome began in a much softer, more humble voice. "I didn't know you were on the line." The old woman chuckled lightly.

"It's quite alright Kagome," She began; Kagome could practically hear the motherly smile in her voice. "I understand how you children are." Kagome let out a small laugh.

"Now then," Kaede's voice turned serious, "I supposed this call means that you three have accomplished your objective."

"Hai, we just returned, both Rin and I have sent in what we found out from the men to Intel. I also have some papers I retrieved and Sango found something in the security tapes that she believes is important. We'll have everything ready for the debriefing tomorrow."

"Very good child."

"Arigato Kaede-sama."

"Kagome," Kaede paused for a moment and seemed to be thinking of how she would say something, she let out a sigh before continuing. "Kagome, Sango and yourself have been partners for over thirty years now, and Rin has been with you two for nearly a decade now." Kagome found herself nodding even though she knew she couldn't be seen by the woman.

"I'm sure you all know that we do not recruit humans or demons into the Bureau, and we mainly rely on children following in their parents' footsteps and becoming agents."

"Kaede, what are you trying to say?" Kagome cut in. She knew how someone became an agent, you either had to be born into it, or there were extenuating circumstances. She was a member of the latter group, as was Rin.

Kaede let out another weary sigh. "Kagome, what I'm saying is," She paused for a moment and Kagome felt her stomach twist into a knot. "We are going to split up Sango, Rin and yourself, and give you each a male partner." Kagome felt her stomach drop to the floor, the old woman couldn't do this to them.

"But-but Kaede! We're the best team you have working! You can't split us up just because you want us to-to reproduce! We're practically family Kaede! You can't do this to us! Those two are like my sisters!"

"Kagome, you must calm down." Kaede began in a pacifying tone. "I know how close you three are, do not worry, this does not mean that you will never see each other again. Most likely you three will remain working together on some cases. But Kagome, you all need to start finding demon mates or human partners that work here. You know it is not an option for you to find someone from the outside."

Kagome gritted her teeth, that was true. She was a phantom in the real world. Her name would not be found in any government record , neither would those of Sango or Rin, or anyone who worked in the Bureau. They were practically ghosts, having a relationship with a civilian would be virtually impossible.

"We are also aware that we are breaking up our strongest assassin team, however we believe the men we have picked for you three are your equals," Kaede paused and Kagome heard her chucked quietly. "In fact they might even have a little more skill than you three."

The girl's eyebrow twitched. First Kaede tore out her heart and _then _she dared to say that someone could be better than she was. How dare that old woman!

"They just arrived back from an extended covert mission in London; they've been there for nearly 8 years now." If possible Kagome felt her stomach drop further.

It just couldn't be.

She swallowed thickly and managed out one word. "Who?"

"You all know them, except maybe Rin. Miroku Kazanna and the Taisho brothers –Sesshomaru and Inuyasha."

Sango nearly dropped the plate she held in her hand when a loud shout from Kagome's room broke the silence of the kitchen.

"FUCK!"


	2. Never a Simple Case

* * *

**Partners**

**By Leah **

**Chapter 2**

**Never a Simple Case**

"I still can't believe ba-baa's actually making us go through with this." Kagome huffed and tapped her foot impatiently.

Rin rolled her eyes at her normally mature friend's childish behavior. "Really, I would never have guessed just judging from the hissy fit you threw last night. And besides," The younger girl's lips curled up into a smile reminiscent of that of the Cheshire cat. "Her name is Kaede, not ba-baa, have some respect."

Kagome sent her a stony glare. "Ha, ha, cute Rin."

"I'd like to believe I am." The younger girl smirked and stuck out her tongue.

"Kami, why can't this elevator go faster?" Sango let out a groan from her place in the corner of the large glass elevator. "Being stuck in an enclosed space with you two for so long gives me a migraine." She ignored the twin dirty looks being sent her way and leaned against the wall of the descending elevator.

Tensions between the three girls, who normally got along better than most siblings, were running quite high, especially after last night's announcement from Kaede. They were all a little irritated to say the least and being trapped together on the long downward elevator ride into the heart of the Bureau wasn't helping matters.

Luckily they were alone in the elevator, though it wasn't often that people took the elevator at this time. Those who stayed within the Bureau's headquarters for most of the day –intelligence, tech, and other such people- had a separate elevator that didn't go to the surface. And most of the assassins rarely reported to HQ unless it was an emergency. It wouldn't be quite a secret government agency's undercover headquarters, if civilians saw hundreds of people crowding into the backdoor of a ritzy hotel everyday and then disappearing into a room the size of a closet.

Bright yellow light shone through the glass walls of the elevator, signaling to the girls that they had finally entered the top most floors of the underground headquarters and were no longer just going through yards of dirt above it. The girls ignored the people on each floor as they sped down to the 24th level of the lard 78 level establishment. A few people took notice of the elevator heading down, but mostly they were ignored as they passed floors of people on computers or on the phones or just lazing about.

"Well," Kagome began, also leaning onto the glass wall. "I'm in no rush to get down there. That debriefing is gonna go on four hours, and we already know all the details. And then we have to go get reassigned partners." She practically spat out the last word and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"I personally don't see what the big deal is," Two pairs of shocked eyes turned to Rin, who only shrugged. "What? I doubt Kaede would leave us with the guys if she sees nothing is going to happen. And she did say that we would still be working together on some cases. Besides, from what you two have told me, odds are you're getting stuck with Miroku," She turned to Sango who had developed a sudden twitch at the man's name. "And you're getting Inuyasha," She turned to Kagome whose face took on an even more sour look. "So I get Sesshomaru, and from what I've gathered about him, there is no way anything can happen between me and someone like that. And from how much you two obviously can't stand your guys, I doubt anything will happen there either." Rin nodded to herself. "So give it 6 months or so, and I'll bet anything we'll be back together."

Sango nodded, "I hate to say it, but Rin seems to have a point." Rin stuck out her tongue at her friend. The elevator jerked to a stop and the doors opened to reveal a beautiful large room with a plush cream carpet and a small waiting area outfitted in dark red wood furniture. There were a few glass doors leading into rooms where the girls could see some people going through paperwork or on computers. To the corner of the room there was a receptionist area where a girl with shocking silver hair sat; her light purple eyes scanned the computer screen as she pressed the phone to her ear. Above the receptionist who looked to be nothing more than 18 was a sign in polished silver letters that read "The Bureau."

"Shiori!" Rin bounded out of the elevator towards the girl who sent her a bright smile but held up a hand to signal her to wait until she was finished with her call.

"Thank you Mr. Tahima, I'll be sure Kaede gets the message." The girl let out a long breath before grinning to her friend. "Hey Rin, it's been forever. How's the field work going?" She sent a smile to the other two girls who approached her desk.

Kagome shrugged. "Same as ever, you really should get into it one day. You were really good in the academy." Rin nodded along distractedly, looking around herself and the other girls quite obviously.

"Looking for something Rin?" Sango asked with a saccharine smile, but she also cast a glance over her shoulder.

"No!" The girl scoffed but turned to Shiori. "So…. your father wouldn't happen to be around would he?"

Shiori giggled a shook her head, taking note of the disappointed looks on all three of the girls' faces. She was more than used to the constant female interest her father received. At 6' 2'' with his long silver hair that reached his lower back even when it was in his common high ponytail, and his gorgeous purple eyes with tanned skin, Tsukuyomaru was definitely one hell of a catch to any available woman out there.

Unfortunately for every female at the Bureau he still loved Shiori's long deceased mother. The woman had died over 450 years ago, long before the Bureau had been established as a government agency and before it had instituted the policy of giving all human members a dash of demon blood, allowing them to have an extended life span and added agility. Many of the human members were well into the hundreds, though most of them didn't look a day over 25. Kagome, who to anyone would appear to be a 19 year old girl was really pushing 70, and Sango who appeared to be 21 at most was over 150 years old. Rin, who was always joked about as the baby of the group because of her 18 year old looks, was only brought into the Bureau 20 years prior and was only 38.

"He's probably with research right now, sorry guys," The girl sent an apologetic look to her friends before brightening. "Oh, and Kaede-sama said to- Kagome? Kagome, what's wrong?" At the young girls yell, two pairs of eyes turned to Kagome who had been unusually silent.

Sango and Rin let out twin gasps when they saw their friend, her eyes were shut tightly and her teeth with gritted together, her face contorted in pain and one hand held on to the desk in front of her while her other was slapped tightly over the side of her neck.

"Kami!" Sango, who was standing closest to the girl grabbed onto her elbow and led her to a chair in the waiting area where Rin and Shiori huddled around her. The demon slayer pulled her friend's hand away from her neck and pushed back her hair revealing two small puncture shaped scars that had been on her friend's neck for years.

Rin sucked in a breath at the sight of the marks, they were a shocking red and the skin around them began to turn a fierce red also. For as long as the young girl could remember Kagome had had those scars, however she rarely ever saw them as the girl opted to keep her hair down, except for during training or a work out.

Kagome sucked in a strangled breath and opened her eyes, the pained look dissipating from her face.

"You okay?" Shiori asked, the girl nodded distractedly, her eyes were fixed on Sango. The older girl sent her friend a disbelieving look but shook her head and stood.

"What the hell was that Kagome?" Rin began, as she helped the girl to her feet.

"I-I don't know." Sango's expression darkened but she didn't say a word.

"Kaede wanted me to tell you guys to go see her as soon as you got here," Shiori said, heading back to her desk. "But I really think you should head to the medical floor, let them have a quick look at you."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm fine, really. Thanks though." The younger girl nodded but sent her a worried look before pointing them in the direction of where they needed to be.

The girls nodded their thanks before heading down the hall to one of the few rooms without a glass door with Kagome in front, just incase she had another bout of pain. The trip down the hall was filled with worried questions from Rin about Kagome's health while Sango still refused to speak.

"Rin I'm telling you," Kagome let out a sigh as they reached two large redwood double doors and she pushed them open. "I'm fi-" The words died in her throat as her eyes took in the room and its occupants, a dark look taking over her features.

Rin followed her into the room quickly; intent on finding out what was obstructing her speech. She arched a brow as she looked around the room. Kaede was nowhere to be seen, however there were three other men in the meeting room. One was obviously human; his short black hair was tied in a small ponytail and his violet eyes turned to the girls with a rather surprised expression. There was also a very tall and stoic looking demon with bright silver hair, his eyes were a cold, calculating gold and he spared a second's glance at the girls before returning to the papers in his hand and Rin also noticed the demon markings on his face that were known to demonic nobility.

Lastly, lounging in the corner she spotted a half demon that the evil look on her friend's face was obviously directed at. He, like the demon, had silver hair and gold eyes; however his hair was much more untamed and unruly, while his eyes held much more life and emotion.

Behind her Rin felt Sango enter the room and she caught a sliver of a smile on the girl's face before it was blank once more.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" The humane let out a gasp and crossed the room faster than anyone else could see, in an instant he was holding tightly to the wide eyed Sango's hand. "Is this my lovely Sango?" He pulled her into a hug and Rin couldn't help but giggle at the look of anguish on her friend's face as she tried to pull away from the man.

"If you do not let go of me in the next ten seconds, I swear I will dismember you in the most painful way Miroku." Sango's threat, though muffled by Miroku's purple shirt, was heard loud and clear by everyone in the room. Miroku however ignored her and began to stroke the girl's hair, ignoring the vein that was being to throb above her eye.

"These past few years without your smiling face have been so hard," Miroku let out an exaggerated sigh and pulled Sango closer. "It's so good to be back to you Sango."

The slap that followed echoed throughout the room and within seconds Miroku was laying on the floor, a red hand print burning on his face. "I've even missed that too." He let out a weak laugh and pulled himself up. The other boys in the room only shook their heads.

"Houshii, I believed that after all these years you would have learned how to speak to her," Sesshomaru muttered before his eyes scanned over Rin then dropped back to his papers.

During the exchange between Sango and Miroku, Kagome had moved herself into a seat on the farthest side of the room from Inuyasha, a dark look etched on her face.

"Well then," Rin broke the silence and dropped into a chair, from the corner of her eye she saw Miroku pulling out a seat for Sango, only to have her sent him a dark glare before pulling out a different seat for herself. "You three must be Miroku, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, pleasure to meet you." She stuck out her hand to each boy only to have it be ignored by Sesshomaru, receive a grunt from Inuyasha, and kissed by Miroku much to Sango's chagrin.

"Alright! So…where's Kaede?"

Inuyasha grunted again. "Who knows, ba-baa left us in here like half an hour ago."

Kagome snapped her eyes to him, "I know having respect might be a foreign concept to you," She began in the most condescending voice Sango and Rin had ever heard from her, "But you should try and practice it; her name is Kaede. You jackass." She spat, and looked back to the wall, crossing her arms and legs tightly.

Inuyasha scowled, he wasn't too fond of her dismissal. "What did you call me?" He growled, picking himself out of his chair and making his way to her side of the room.

Kagome turned to him again, undaunted by the fact that he now towered over her. "Are you deaf as well as stupid? I called you a jackass." She pushed herself up to face him, there were mere inches separating them and the fact that he was still a full head taller than her didn't faze her in the least. The other members of the room sat and watched in silence, even Sesshomaru put down his papers to look at the scene unfolding.

"Look bitch," he stepped closer to her, the glare on her face intensified ten fold.

"Don't you dare call me that." Her words were laced with enough venom to take down an elephant.

"I can call you whatever I want," his words held the unmistakable hint of teasing behind the bite. "Bitch."

"You arrogant, egotist-"

"Enough!" All eyes turned to the old woman who stood by the door, she wore an eye-patch over her right eye and had a slightly hunched back, and her long grey hair was tied in a long ponytail at the back of her neck. "Kagome, Inuyasha, sit."

Kagome sent the boy a harsh glare before moving to a seat, a sheepish look made its way on to her face. Inuyasha huffed and dropped back into his corner seat, the look on his face very reminiscent of a child whose mom wouldn't buy him candy.

Kaede hobbled to an especially large comfortable looking chair at the head of the large glass meeting table, she looked at the six people gathered around her and let out a sigh. "You are all aware of my reasons for summoning you here before the debriefing were to take place," mostly everyone nodded grudgingly. "Good, now I'm sure you all have realized who your new partners are, so what I'm going to say won't come as a shock to any of you. Sango and Miroku are now to live together," The demon slayer groaned softly and sent a glare to the smirking monk who winked in return, even though she knew it would happen, hearing it out loud just made it seem so much worse.

"Sesshomaru, you are now to be with Rin," The young girl looked over to the demon, however his eyes remained transfixed on Kaede. "And lastly," Kaede held her breath for a moment, preparing for the outburst that she knew would come. "Kagome-chan, you are now working with Inuyasha."

There was a tense silence, and then Kagome stood and slammed her hands on the table, Kaede seemed unfazed. "I still refuse to accept this Kaede! You can't put me to work with that-that-that ASS!"

Kaede raised her eyes in silent prayer as Inuyasha too stood up and rounded on the girl. "Don't think you're the only one suffering here princess," He snarled, "You ain't exactly my dream partner either!"

Kaede cut in before Kagome could retaliate. "My word is final." Both people turned their gazes to her. "You two have worked together before, and you work well together, this is no different."

"This is very different Kaede!" Kagome practically roared. "You expect me to procreate with this PIG!"

"Kagome," Kaede let out a withering sigh, "I don't expect you to do anything, this is a trial. And you know as well as anyone here that there comes a time when all assassins are partnered with a member of the opposite sex in hopes of carrying on our work here, this is only temporary, so please be patient and let the past remain in the past." Kagome flinched but nodded solemnly and took her seat, grudgingly Inuyasha did the same.

Seconds later the doors to the room opened and six people walked in and took seats.

"Well, well," A male wolf demon with long black hair tied in a ponytail began, his eyes trained on Inuyasha, "If it isn't the mutt. I hoped you had died."

Inuyasha growled low, "Not before I kill you first wolf."

The wolf snorted and took a seat, "I'd like to se you try, dog."

"Well this is interesting banter," A female wolf demon cut in. "Can't you two be mature just once. I expected better from you Kouga."

Kagome snorted, "Ayame, I thought you knew those two don't know the meaning of maturity, least of all Inuyasha."

"Come now," Kaede began, bringing everyone's attention back to her. "This is not what I called you all here for, please settle down." The room quieted down and everyone's attention turned to the Bureau's head.

"No offense Kaede, but haven't they been doing other missions, why are they here?" Sango asked, nodding to the six new people in the room.

"Ayame, Momiji, Boton, Kouga, Ginta, and Hakakku, have been working on cases involving some dirty dealings within the demonic underground for the past few months, and have dug up some information pertaining to your case." Kaede explained, "And Miroku, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, have been on the same case just overseas."

"But we've returned because we have gained some information that the subject has left London and is back in Japan." Sesshomaru informed them.

"He can't be," Rin chimed in, "We've been working this for almost a 5 years, we haven't seen him anywhere and there wasn't a shred of evidence incriminating him at the scenes of the mutilations or anything."

"And if someone like him came to Japan, how could no-one notice? He isn't exactly an everyday guy."

"Kagome's right, it would have been in at least one tabloid by now, but everything's been silent." Sango said.

Kagome turned a hard look to the boys, "Where did you get that information from anyway, he's been trying to keep his movements silent for years, are you sure he didn't leak it because he wanted you three out of London?"

"Kagome, I assure you our information comes from a most reliable source," Miroku winked at her, "She happens to be one of his inner circle security and secretary. An…old friend if you will, of Sesshomaru's."

"For a monk, Miroku, you sure have a way of making everything sound dirty." Inuyasha grumbled. "But what's the wolf's team got to do with this again? They've been pretty useless just sitting there."

"Well mutt, the underground rumor mill is going crazy about this guy, guess he has come back to Japan, everyone seems a little uneasy. There's talk about there being more murders coming, they say he's going to go after human's next."

"Priestesses or anyone with spiritual power he can get his hands on." Boton, the blue haired priestess continued, while Momiji pulled out some pictures from a folder.

"These are his main assassins." She put the pictures on the table.

"That man!" Sango pointed to the blurred image of a man with a long braid. "He was in one of the security taped from the hotel!"

"Not surprising. These seven are his hired pit-bulls, they're called the Band of Seven, not very original with the names, but they're probably the most deadly humans in this hemisphere." Ayame said.

"Keh, they're still human's though. And all that information has done is raised more questions."

"My little brother is right, his killing patterns are erratic, first the beheadings of various low level demons, then murdering a shrine keeper,"

"And he was also after the crooked business men that we killed yesterday," Kagome added, "And if the underground rumors are true he's after priestesses next."

"And we know it's all him," Rin continued, "but nothing ties to him because he's stayed abroad all this time working on his companies."

"And he's beefed up his security, he must know we're on to him, plus he came back to Japan himself, that must mean there's something he needs to do here." Miroku added.

"Or that he's just pissed that we've killed his two next targets and he's finally decided to take the more hands on approach." Sango said with a smirk.

"Nevertheless," Kaede let out a long breath, "Onigumo Pharmaceuticals is still profiting, even with the allegations surrounding their owner, and he has new dealing's with governments abroad, and if he starts with the Japanese government, we may have to start acting independently, or he could infiltrate the Bureau."

"This is getting out of hand; I thought it was just a few murders!" The female wolf demon groaned and placed her head in her palm. "It's like this guy's trying to take over the world or something."

Inuyasha snorted, "Wouldn't be the first psycho to try it."

"Well, all the information obtained has been sent to Intel to be analyzed, they should be done in a week at most, I will call you all back then. Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Rin and Sesshomaru, all of your things have been moved from your apartments to three separate ones, along with the cars while you were here. Shiori will give you the addresses on the way out." Kaede ignored the heated looks sent her way. "You six are pretty much on vacation until we find more information on this guy and his dealings. And you six," She turned to the four wolves and two priestesses, "Thank you and you will be kept updated on this case. However that does not mean you can slack on your own." They all nodded.

"Now then, if that is all," The old woman rose from her seat with a slight groan.

"Oh wait!" Ginta burst as everyone was beginning to leave. "We were digging and we found something about his name!"

"What, that Onigumo is the dumbest name ever?" Inuyasha mumbled.

"But we don't think that's his real name." Hakkaku said, "All the time we spent searching for stuff about him, no one there referred to him as Onigumo, and no one said anything about him being human."

"You're saying he's a demon?" Kagome's eyes widened.

"He could be," Sesshomaru muttered, "No one has ever been close enough to him to tell if he was human or demon, the cloaking charms now a days are very good too."

"And when you run his file, Onigumo's record is fuckin' sparkling clean. No one has never had not one problem with the law in their life!" Inuyasha jumped in.

"So what did you find out his name was?" Sango redirected the conversation to the two wolves.

"Kakura, Naraku."


End file.
